U.S. patent number 4,975,783 [Application Number 07/373,274] was granted by the patent office on 1990-12-04 for facsimile machine having error correction mode.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Tatsuo Takaoka.
United States Patent |
4,975,783 |
Takaoka |
December 4, 1990 |
Facsimile machine having error correction mode
Abstract
A facsimile machine has an error correction mode in conformance
with the CCITT recommendations. An image information read out from
a first memory is recorded on a recording device when it is in a
recordable state and is temporarily stored in a second memory when
the recording device is in a non-recordable state and the second
memory has an empty region. A reception process is discontinued
when the recording device is in the non-recordable state or when no
empty region is available in the second memory, and a message
indicating that an image information is stored in the first memory
is displayed when the reception process is discontinued. The image
information read out from the first memory is recorded on the
recording device when it resumes the recordable state after the
reception process is discontinued.
Inventors: |
Takaoka; Tatsuo (Isehara,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
15839245 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/373,274 |
Filed: |
June 28, 1989 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 6, 1988 [JP] |
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63-166875 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
358/404; 358/406;
358/437; 358/444; 358/463 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
1/32106 (20130101); H04N 1/32614 (20130101); H04N
2201/3209 (20130101); H04N 2201/3214 (20130101); H04N
2201/3215 (20130101); H04N 2201/3216 (20130101); H04N
2201/3219 (20130101); H04N 2201/3221 (20130101); H04N
2201/3226 (20130101); H04N 2201/3243 (20130101); H04N
2201/3271 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
1/32 (20060101); H04M 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;358/404,406,437,444,463 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0915281 |
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Mar 1982 |
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GR |
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112370 |
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Jun 1985 |
|
JP |
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60-183874 |
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Sep 1985 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Coles, Sr.; Edward L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A facsimile machine having an error correction mode in
conformance with CCITT recommendations comprising:
modem means coupled to a transmission path for modulating an image
information which is transmitted to the transmission path and for
demodulating an image information which is received from the
transmission path, said image information being transmitted and
received in blocks respectively having a predetermined format and
including a predetermined number of frames of image information
with error correction codes for use in detecting an error in the
image information;
communication control means coupled to said modem means for
controlling communications to and from the transmission path;
scanning means for scanning a document image which is to be
transmitted and for outputting the image information of the scanned
document image as a transmitting image information;
recording means for recording an image described by a received
image information onto a recording sheet;
first memory means for temporarily storing the transmitting image
information and the received image information in blocks;
second memory means;
display means for displaying a message; and
system control means for controlling operations of said
communication control means, said scanning means, said recording
means and said display means,
said system control means including means for supplying the image
information read out from said first memory means to said recording
means when said recording means is in a recordable state and for
temporarily storing the image information read out from said first
memory means in said second memory means when said recording means
is in a non-recordable state and said second memory means has an
empty region, discontinuing means for discontinuing a reception
process by disconnecting from the transmission path when said
recording means is in the non-recordable state or when no empty
region is available in said second memory means, means for
displaying on said display means a message indicating that an image
information is stored in said first memory means when said
reception process is discontinued, and means for supplying the
image information read out from said first memory means to said
recording means to record an image when said recording means
resumes the recordable state after said reception process is
discontinued.
2. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system
control means further includes means for maintaining the image
information stored in said first memory means when said reception
process is discontinued.
3. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system
control means further includes means for displaying on said display
means a message indicating that said recording means is in the
non-recordable state when said reception process is
discontinued.
4. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system
control means further includes means for discriminating whether or
not an image information is stored in said first memory means when
said reception process is discontinued, and means for supplying to
said recording means the image information read out from said first
memory means when it is discriminated that the image information is
stored in said first memory means.
5. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system
control means further includes means for discriminating whether or
not an image information is stored in said second memory means when
said reception process is discontinued, and means for supplying to
said recording means the image information read out from said
second memory means when it is discriminated that the image
information is stored in said second memory means.
6. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system
control means further includes means for discriminating whether or
not an image information is stored in said second memory means when
a supply of power to said facsimile machine is cut off and
thereafter resumed, and means for supplying to said recording means
a report indicating that a power supply cutoff occurred.
7. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said system
control means further includes means for discriminating whether or
not an image information is stored in said first memory means when
a supply of power to said facsimile machine is cut off and
thereafter resumed.
8. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said report
also indicates an information on the image information which is
erased from said first memory means and/or said second memory means
by the power supply cutoff.
9. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said
information on the image information is selected from a group at
least including a title of the report, date and time when the power
supply cutoff occurred, a file number of the erased image
information, a type of file of the erased image information, and a
telephone number of a destination facsimile machine.
10. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said report
also indicates an information on the image information which is
erased from said second memory mean by the power supply cutoff.
11. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said
system control means further includes means for supplying to said
recording means another report indicating that the image
information stored in said first memory means is erased.
12. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein said other
report includes an information on the image information which is
erased from said first memory means which is selected from a group
at least including a title of the report and a telephone number of
a destination facsimile machine.
13. A facsimile machine having an error correction mode in
conformance with CCITT recommendations comprising:
modem means coupled to a transmission path for modulating an image
information which is transmitted to the transmission path and for
demodulating an image information which is received from the
transmission path, said image information being transmitted and
received in blocks respectively having a predetermined format and
including a predetermined number of frames of image information
with error correction codes for use in detecting an error in the
image information;
communication control means coupled to said modem means for
controlling communications to and from the transmission path;
scanning means for scanning a document image which is to be
transmitted and for outputting the image information of the scanned
document image as a transmitting image information;
recording means for recording an image described by a received
image information onto a recording sheet;
memory means for temporarily storing the transmitting image
information and the received image information in blocks;
display means for displaying a message; and
system control means for controlling operations of said
communication control means, said scanning means, said recording
means and said display means,
said system control means including means for discriminating
whether or not an image information is stored in said memory means
when a supply of power to said facsimile machine is cut off and
thereafter resumed, and means for supplying to said recording means
a report indicating that a power supply cutoff occurred.
14. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein said
report also indicates an information on the image information which
is erased from said memory means by the power supply cutoff.
15. The facsimile machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said
information on the image information is selected from a group at
least including a title of the report, date and time when the power
supply cutoff occurred, a file number of the erased image
information, a type of file of the erased image information, and a
telephone number of a destination facsimile machine.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to facsimile machines, and
more particularly to a facsimile machine having an error correction
mode (ECM) in conformance with the CCITT recommendations.
The ECM is a mode in which an image information is transmitted in
blocks which are constituted by a plurality of data frames in
conformance with a high level data link control (HDLC) procedure,
and when a receiving side facsimile machine (hereinafter simply
referred to as a destination) detects a transmission error a
transmitting side facsimile machine (hereinafter simply referred to
as a source) retransmits a data frame in which the error is
detected. An error correction code is transmitted with the image
information in frames, and the transmission error is detected be
using the error correction code.
For this reason, in order to enable retransmission of the requested
data frame from the source, it is necessary for the source to
temporarily store one block of image information which is
transmitted. In addition, when one received block of image
information contains an error, the destination must receive the
retransmitted frame data which corresponds to the frame data in
which the error was detected. Hence, the destination must also
temporarily store the received image information so that one block
of image data may be constituted using the retransmitted frame data
which contains no error.
Accordingly, the facsimile machine having the ECM is provided with
an ECM buffer memory for temporarily storing one block of image
information. For example, the ECM buffer memory has a memory
capacity of 64 kbits which is normally sufficient to store an image
information amounting to one page of document.
When the facsimile machine having the ECM is receiving a
transmission, a plotter may break down, a paper jam may occur in
the plotter and the plotter may run out of recording paper during a
recording of an image. When this non-recordable state of the
plotter occurs in a facsimile machine which is not provided with a
so-called store and forward (SAF) image memory, the reception
process of the destination is discontinued by transmitting to the
source a disconnect (DCN) signal or a procedural interrupt negative
(PIN) signal each of which is a line disconnect instruction. On the
other hand, in the case of the facsimile machine provided with the
so-called SAF image memory, the received image information is
stored in the SAF image memory but the DCN signal or the like is
transmitted to discontinue the reception process when the memory
capacity of the SAF image memory becomes insufficient to store all
the image information.
In the above described case, one block of the received image
information is temporarily stored in the ECM buffer memory.
However, when the reception process is discontinued, the content of
the ECM buffer memory is erased at the same time. For this reason,
there is a problem in that the received image information amounting
to one page of document is erased without ever being recorded on
the plotter.
Generally, the image memory for storing the image information is of
a type which erases (or clears) the content thereof when the supply
of power is cut off. Thus, when the image information which is not
yet recorded is stored in the ECM buffer memory but the power
supply to the facsimile machine is cut off due to a power failure
or the like, the image information stored in the ECM buffer memory
is erased.
Conventionally, when the power supply is cut off, the facsimile
machine records and outputs after the supply of power is resumed a
report indicating that the power supply was cut off, so that the
operator is informed of the erasure of the received image
information stored in the SAF image memory. But conventionally,
there is a problem in that the operator is not informed of the
erasure of the image information stored in the ECM buffer memory
due to the cutoff of the power supply, and the operator has no
means of knowing this erasure of the image information stored in
the ECM buffer memory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to
provide a novel and useful facsimile machine in which the problems
described above are eliminated.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to
provide a facsimile machine having an error correction mode in
conformance with CCITT recommendations comprising modem means
coupled to a transmission path for modulating an image information
which is transmitted to the transmission path and for demodulating
an image information which is received from the transmission path,
where the image information is transmitted and received in blocks
respectively having a predetermined format and including a
predetermined number of frames of image information with error
correction codes for use in detecting an error in the image
information, communication control means coupled to the modem means
for controlling communications to and from the transmission path,
scanning means for scanning a document image which is to be
transmitted and for outputting the image information of the scanned
document image as a transmitting image information, recording means
for recording an image described by a received image information
onto a recording sheet, first memory means for temporarily storing
the transmitting image information and the received image
information in blocks, second memory means, display means for
displaying a message, and system control means for controlling
operations of the communication control means, the scanning means,
the recording means and the display means. The system control means
includes means for supplying the image information read out from
the first memory means to the recording means when the recording
means is in a recordable state and for temporarily storing the
image information read out from the first memory means in the
second memory means when the recording means is in a non-recordable
state and the second memory means has an empty region,
discontinuing means for discontinuing a reception process by
disconnecting from the transmission path when the recording means
is in the non-recordable state or when no empty region is available
in the second memory means, means for displaying on the display
means a message indicating that an image information is stored in
the first memory means when the reception process is discontinued,
and means for supplying the image information read out from the
first memory means to the recording means to record an image when
the recording means resumes the recordable state after the
reception process is discontinued. According to the facsimile
machine of the present invention, when the reception process is
discontinued, the operator is informed that the first memory means
stores an image information. Hence, it is possible to prevent the
operator from cutting off the power supply when removing the cause
of the discontinuance of the reception process, so that the image
information stored in the first memory means is recorded on the
recording sheet when the above cause is removed. In other words, it
is possible to always record the image information which is
temporarily stored.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
facsimile machine having an error correction mode in conformance
with CCITT recommendations comprising modem means coupled to a
transmission path for modulating an image information which is
transmitted to the transmission path and for demodulating an image
information which is received from the transmission path, where the
image information is transmitted and received in blocks
respectively having a predetermined format and including a
predetermined number of frames of image information with error
correction codes for use in detecting an error in the image
information, communication control means coupled to the modem means
for controlling communications to and from the transmission path,
scanning means for scanning a document image which is to be
transmitted and for outputting the image information of the scanned
document image as a transmitting image information, recording means
for recording an image described by a received image information
onto a recording sheet, memory means for temporarily storing the
transmitting image information and the received image information
in blocks, display means for displaying a message, and system
control means for controlling operations of the communication
control means, the scanning means, the recording means and the
display means. The system control means includes means for
discriminating whether or not an image information is stored in the
memory means when a supply of power to the facsimile machine is cut
off and thereafter resumed, and means for supplying to the
recording means a report indicating that a power supply cutoff
occurred. According to the facsimile machine of the present
invention, it is possible to inform the operator of an erased image
information when the image information is erased due to a power
supply cutoff.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be
apparent from the following detailed description when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an embodiment of a
facsimile machine according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a reception process of the
embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining a waiting process of the
embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining a process of the embodiment
when a supply of power is resumed;
FIG. 5 shows an essential part of a first embodiment of a power
supply cutoff report which is outputted;
FIG. 6 shows an essential part of a second embodiment of the power
supply cutoff report which is outputted; and
FIG. 7 shows an essential part of an ECM erasure report which is
outputted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a facsimile machine according to the
present invention. The facsimile machine generally comprises a
scanner 1, a plotter 2, an encoder/decoder 3, an ECM buffer memory
4, an image memory 5, a network control unit 6, a modem 7, a
communication control unit 8, an operation and display device 9, a
system memory 10, and a system controller 11.
The scanner 1 reads a document image and outputs an image
information having a predetermined resolution. The plotter 2
records an image information on a recording sheet (paper). The
plotter 2 is provided with known devices for detecting
non-recordable states thereof such as when the plotter 2 runs out
of the recording sheet, a paper jam occurs in the plotter 2 and
when the plotter 2 breaks down. The encoder/decoder 3 encodes an
image information which is to be transmitted to a destination
facsimile machine and decodes an image information which is
received from a source facsimile machine.
The ECM buffer memory 4 temporarily stores one block of image
information which is transmitted and received when making a
communication in the ECM. The image memory 5 is the so-called SAF
image memory and stores an image information when making a
transmission of memorized information or when making a reception of
memorized information.
The network control unit 6 carries out predetermined call out and
call accept operations by making a line connection, sending a
destination telephone number as a selection signal and detecting a
call in.
The modem 7 modulates the image information which is transmitted to
the destination and demodulates the image information which is
received from the source. The modem 7 also transmits various
procedure signals of the transmission control procedure. The
communication control unit 8 controls the network control unit 6
and the modem 7 and carries out a facsimile transmission according
to a predetermined transmission control procedure.
The operation and display device 9 includes a display for
displaying states (or modes) of the facsimile machine and a
manipulation part having keys for instructing predetermined
transmission and reception processes to the facsimile machine.
The system memory 10 stores various information required for the
transmission and reception processes. A portion of the system
memory 10 is constituted by a static random access memory (RAM)
which is backed up by a battery. Various communication information
such as the destination telephone number, the communication mode,
the line density of the received image, an information of receive
terminal identification (hereinafter simply referred to as an RTI
information), the compression mode, the size of the received image,
and the communication result of the facsimile communication being
made is stored in a memory region of the static RAM. This memory
region also stores management information on image information
files which are stored in the ECM buffer memory 4 and the image
memory 5.
The system controller 11 is constituted by a microcomputer. The
system controller 11 controls various parts of the facsimile
machine to carry out a predetermined operation on the facsimile
machine.
FIG. 2 shows a reception process carried out by the system
controller 11 of the facsimile machine shown in FIG. 1 in the
ECM.
In FIG. 2, a step 101 connects the facsimile machine to a line when
a call in is detected. This step 101 includes a process of
discriminating the communication mode by carrying out a
predetermined transmission control procedure. In this embodiment,
the communication mode is detected as being the ECM, and a step 102
successively receives the image information. Then, a step 103
decodes the received image information and temporarily stores the
decoded image information in the ECM buffer memory 4.
Next, a step 104 discriminates whether or not the plotter 2 is in a
recordable state. When the discrimination result in the step 104 is
YES, a step 105 successively reads the image information from the
ECM buffer memory 4 one line at a time and transfers the read image
information to the plotter 2 so as to record the received image one
line at a time. A step 106 discriminates whether or not the
recording of one page is ended. The process returns to the step 102
when the discrimination result in the step 106 is NO.
On the other hand, when the discrimination result in the step 106
becomes YES, a step 107 sends a procedure signal indicative of the
reception result as an answer. For example, when a transmission
error is detected in the received image information by use of an
error correction code which is received therewith, a partial page
request (PPR) signal is sent to make a retransmission request. In
addition, when discontinuing the reception process such as when it
is impossible to continue receiving the image information, a DCN
signal or a PIN signal is sent to end the reception process. For
the sake of convenience, it will be assumed that the image
information is correctly received and a message confirmation (MCF)
signal is sent.
In this embodiment, when it is impossible to continue receiving the
image information, the step 107 sets a reception discontinuance
flag RDF.
A step 108 discriminates whether or not the reception
discontinuance flag RDF is set. When the discrimination result in
the step 108 is NO, a step 109 discriminates whether or not a next
page will be transmitted. When the discrimination result in the
step 109 is YES, the process returns to the step 102 so as to
similarly carry out the reception process with respect to the image
information related to the next page.
When the discrimination result in the step 109 is NO, a step 110
disconnects the line by carrying out a predetermined transmission
control procedure. Hence, the reception process is ended and the
facsimile machine enters a waiting state.
On the other hand, the plotter 2 may run out of the recording
sheet, a paper jam may occur in the plotter 2, and the plotter 2
may break down during the reception of the image information. When
the plotter 2 is in the non-recordable state and the discrimination
result in the step 104 is NO, a step 111 discriminates whether or
not an empty region exists in the image memory 5. When the
discrimination result in the step 111 is YES, a step 112 stores the
image information within the ECM buffer memory 4 into the empty
region of the image memory 5 instead of transferring the image
information to the plotter 2. Thereafter, the reception process is
carried out similarly to the above by advancing to the step
106.
The image memory 5 stores the image information of the document
image which is to be transmitted as an image information file also
when making a transmission of memorized information. For this
reason, the image memory 5 may not have an empty region for storing
the received image information.
When the image memory 5 does not have an empty region and the
discrimination result in the step 111 is NO, a step 113 maintains
the image information stored in the image memory 5 as an image
information file so as not to erase this image information, and
also maintains the image information stored in the ECM buffer
memory 4 as it is. But because it is impossible to continue
receiving the image information in this case, a step 114 sets the
reception discontinuance flag RDF. The reception discontinuance
flag RDF and the management information on the image information
files maintained in the ECM buffer memory 4 and the image memory 5
are stored in a memory region of the static RAM which is within the
system memory 10 and is backed up by the battery.
When the reception discontinuance flag RDF is set and the reception
of one page of image information is ended in the step 106, the step
107 sends a PIN signal, for example, so as to discontinue the
reception process. In this case, the discrimination result in the
step 108 is YES, and the process advances to the step 110 to
immediately disconnect the line and enter the waiting state.
As described before, various communication information such as the
destination telephone number, the communication mode, the line
density of the received image, the RTI information, the compression
mode, the size of the received image, and the communication result
of the facsimile communication being made is stored in the memory
region of the static RAM of the system memory 11. When the
reception process is correctly ended without being discontinued,
the various communication information stored in the static RAM is
erased.
FIG. 3 shows a process carried out by the system controller 11 of
the facsimile machine shown in FIG. 1 in the waiting state thereof.
In FIG. 3, a step 201 discriminates whether or not the plotter 2 is
in the recordable state. When the discrimination result in the step
201 is NO, a step 202 displays a message (or warning) on the
operation and display device 9 by detecting the cause of the
non-recordable state of the plotter 2. For example, when the
plotter 2 is in the non-recordable state due to a paper jam, the
message displayed on the operation and display device 9 may state
"PAPER JAM--PLEASE REMOVE RECORDING SHEET".
Next, a step 203 discriminates whether or not the reception
discontinuance flag RDF is set. The process returns to the step 201
when the discrimination result in the step 203 is NO.
On the other hand, when the discrimination result in the step 203
is YES, a step 204 displays a message on the operation and display
device 9 to indicate that there is an image information stored in
the ECM buffer memory 4. For example, this message may state "ECM
FILE EXISTS". Thereafter, a step 205 discriminates whether or not
the plotter 2 is in the recordable state.
The operator attends to the maintenance of the plotter 2 by reading
the message displayed on the operation and display device 9. In
other words, the operator removes the paper jam or supplies the
recording sheets, for example, depending on the message displayed
on the operation and display device 9.
When the plotter 2 resumes the recordable state by the maintenance,
the discrimination result in the step 205 becomes YES. A step 206
discriminates whether or not the image information stored in the
image memory 5 by the step 112 shown in FIG. 2 exists, that is,
whether or not a received image information file exists. When the
discrimination result in the step 206 is YES, a step 207
successively reads out the stored image information from the image
memory 5 and records the image information on the plotter 2.
After the step 207 or when the discrimination result in the step
206 is NO, a step 208 discriminates whether or not the image
information maintained within the ECM buffer memory 4 by the step
113 shown in FIG. 2 exists, that is, whether or not a received
image information file exists. When the discrimination result in
the step 208 is YES, a step 209 successively reads out the stored
image information from the ECM buffer memory 4 and records the
image information on the plotter 2. On the other hand, the process
is ended after the step 209 or when the discrimination result in
the step 208 is NO.
When the supply of power to the facsimile machine is once cut off,
the image information files stored in the ECM buffer memory 4 and
the image memory 5 are erased. FIG. 4 shows a process carried out
by the system controller 11 of the facsimile machine shown in FIG.
1 when the power supply is once cut off and thereafter resumed.
In FIG. 4, when the power supply to the facsimile machine is
resumed, a step 301 discriminates whether or not an image
information file was stored in the image memory 5 when the power
supply was cut off, based on the file management information stored
in the memory region of the static RAM within the system memory 10.
When the discrimination result in the step 301 is NO, a step 302
discriminates whether or not an image information file was stored
in the ECM buffer memory 4.
When the discrimination result in the step 301 or 302 is YES, a
step 303 records on the plotter 2 an information related to the
stored image information file so as to output a power supply cutoff
report. The process is ended after the step 303 or when the
discrimination result in the step 302 is NO.
FIG. 5 shows a embodiment of the power supply cutoff report which
is output from the facsimile machine. In FIG. 5, a indicates a
title of the report, b indicates an output date, c indicates a date
and time when the power supply cutoff occurred, and d indicates a
message indicating that a power supply cutoff has occurred. In
addition, e indicates a file number of the image information file
stored in the image memory 5, and f indicates a type of the image
information, where "SUBSTITUTE RECEPTION" indicates a received
image information file within the image memory 5 and "ECM"
indicates an image information file within the ECM buffer memory 4.
Furthermore, g indicates a page number of the image, h indicates a
result of the reception process, where "E" indicates that an error
has occurred due to the power supply cutoff, and i indicates a
destination telephone number.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, when the plotter 2 becomes
non-recordable during the image information reception process, a
substitute reception is made by storing the received image
information in the image memory 5 but the reception process is
discontinued when there is no more empty region within the image
memory 5. In this case, the image information stored in the ECM
buffer memory 4 is not erased but maintained, and a message is
displayed to indicate that the ECM buffer memory 4 contains the
image information. On the other hand, when the plotter 2 becomes
recordable after displaying the message, the image information is
read out from the ECM buffer memory 4 and recorded on the plotter
2.
When the power supply to the facsimile machine is cut off, the
image information in the ECM buffer memory 4 will be erased. Hence,
when the operation and display device 9 displays the message
indicating that the ECM buffer memory 4 contains the image
information, the operator can make sure not to cut off the power
supply when attending to the maintenance of the plotter 2.
Accordingly, it is possible to always record the received image
information which is stored in the ECM buffer memory 4.
When the power supply to the facsimile machine is cut off and
thereafter resumed, the power supply cutoff report which is output
makes an indication when there exists an image information file
within the ECM buffer memory 4 and/or the image memory 5 which is
erased. As a result, the operator is informed of the erased image
information.
Conventionally, there is a power supply cutoff report which
indicates only the content of the image information file within the
image memory 5. But in this embodiment, it is possible to also
indicate the content of the image information file within the ECM
buffer memory 4 with ease.
In the above described embodiment, the image information files
within the ECM buffer memory 4 and the image memory 5 are indicated
on a single power supply cutoff report. However, it is possible to
independently output the content of the image memory 5 as a power
supply cutoff report shown in FIG. 6 and the content of the ECM
buffer memory 4 as an ECM erasure report shown in FIG. 7. By
independently outputting the power supply cutoff report and the ECM
erasure report, it is possible to output only one of the reports
which is required. Further, the content of the report can be
readily understood by the operator by merely looking at the title
a.
The embodiment described heretofore is applied to the facsimile
machine which is provided with the SAF image memory (image memory
5). But in the case of a facsimile machine which is not provided
with the SAF image memory, the step 113 shown in FIG. 2 is carried
out immediately when the discrimination result in the step 104
becomes NO. In addition, the processes related to the image memory
5, that is, the steps 206 and 207 shown in FIG. 3 and the step 301
shown in FIG. 4 are omitted. As a result, it becomes possible to
always record the content of the ECM buffer memory 4 similarly as
in the case of the described embodiment.
Furthermore, according to the process shown in FIG. 3, the content
of the image memory 5 is recorded when the plotter 2 becomes
recordable. However, it is of course not essential to record the
content of the image memory 5 when the plotter 2 becomes
recordable. Moreover, by outputting the power supply cutoff report
or the like when the power supply is resumed even when no image
information file to be output exists, it becomes possible to inform
the operator of the time when the power supply was cut off.
The steps 202 and 204 shown in FIG. 3 need not display the message
in characters, and the message may be displayed by a lamp such as a
light emitting diode (LED) and/or a sound or voice.
The memory capacity of the ECM buffer memory 4 is 64 kbits in the
described embodiment. But the memory capacity of the ECM buffer
memory 4 may be set arbitrarily. For example, the memory capacity
of the ECM buffer memory 4 may be set to 128 kbits which
corresponds to two pages of document image.
Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments,
but various variations and modifications may be made without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
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